


What You Don't Know (The Things Left Unsaid Remix)

by a_salty_alto



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Confessions, Getting Together, M/M, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 09:57:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13479030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_salty_alto/pseuds/a_salty_alto
Summary: Steve stares at Tony, sleeping softly and curled up beside him. He’s shirtless, exposing the arc reactor. That he’d sleep with Steve like this is a sign of vulnerability, a sign of trust. Steve’s wanted this since he saw Tony fly into that wormhole and feared that he wouldn’t come out. Steve doesn’t deserve it, and he’s the only one who knows it.





	What You Don't Know (The Things Left Unsaid Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sineala](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sineala/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Three Days Late (The You Were Never Here Remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13426458) by [Sineala](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sineala/pseuds/Sineala). 



Steve stares at Tony, sleeping softly and curled up beside him. He’s shirtless, exposing the arc reactor. That he’d sleep with Steve like this is a sign of vulnerability, a sign of trust. Steve’s wanted this since he saw Tony fly into that wormhole and feared that he wouldn’t come out. Steve doesn’t deserve it, and he’s the only one who knows it.

* * *

 

It happens like this. The first day, Steve arrives at Avengers tower to visit Tony.

“Cap! Perfect timing,” Tony greets him and almost immediately drags Steve down to his lab.

“I saw you on the news, feel free to call me next time you need to deal with the secret remnants of a fascist organization, will ya. I was worried about you.” Tony tries to keep his tone light hearted, but his eyes betray his worry. He’s clearly been losing sleep over this.

Tony brings Steve down to his lab and Dum-E whirrs in with mugs for both of them. Tony props his feet up on his desk as the screens light up and display a world map, data coming in from all over.

“I know you’ve been looking for your brainwashed buddy, Cap. So I’ve made you this. It’s a program that’ll collect information from all sorts of sources to try and help you find Barnes.” Tony smiles brightly as he shows off his handiwork. Steve stares at his eyes, though, bright and doe-like.

“Tony, I don’t know how to thank you- I” Steve stammers, caught off guard by the gesture.

“If you want to thank me, try sticking around more.”  Tony says. “This will save you time in your search, so maybe you could hang around a bit? If you want?”

Steve can only stare at Tony’s eyes

They looks like his mother’s

“Steve?” Tony asks, breaking Steve’s train of thought. He’s clearly waiting for a reply.

“Do… you want me to stay?” Tony bites his lip and looks away

“Um, yeah. I’d like it. I think you’d like it too.” Tony grabs Steve’s hand.

“You just seem lonely,”

“So do you,” Steve says, and he’s a master strategist. He can see where this is going. He and Tony had gotten off to a rocky start, but after Loki had been dealt with and before Steve had moved to DC, he’d stayed at Avengers Tower for a bit. It had just been him and Tony together, at first just barely acknowledging each others presence, then talking during the occasional pizza night, then it was sparring together and going out to lunch and late nights avoiding nightmares together on the couch. Steve would have been lying if he said he hadn’t thought of getting closer to Tony even while he was in DC. Tony had clearly been thinking about it too.

Steve isn’t surprised when Tony stands up and kisses him. 

Steve has a reason for being there. He’s supposed to tell Tony that what he’d thought for years was a lie. That his father didn’t crash their car, but the man that Tony has probably gone at least a day without sleep devising a way to search for- all because it would help Steve- had and had squeezed the life out of his mother.

Steve isn’t sure how Tony will react. It isn’t easy to find out one of the most important facts in your life is a lie. Steve can imagine the rage, the heartbreak. He doesn’t want to do that to Tony. 

Tony breaks off his kiss suddenly.

“Oh god, I’m sorry. I read this wrong didn’t I? I thought-”

Steve wraps his arms around Tony and kisses him back. The news will hurt Tony. This can be a trade-off. Something to soften the blow. He can make Tony happy before he tells him the truth.

The second night, Tony invites the other Avengers over to dinner. They chat and play catch-up.

Steve knows Natasha can see their hands curled together under the table. Tony suggests the Avengers move into the Tower, and he’s overjoyed they seem to like the idea. He’s chatting with Bruce about lab space and the experiments he wants to run. Natasha raises an eyebrow at Steve, almost accusingly. She knows the truth about Tony’s parents too.

Steve excuses himself to get some water. Moments later, Tony follows him into the kitchen.

“Why are you hiding?” Tony asks, coming up behind him. “They’re out friends.” Steve turns to give the shorter man a peck on the top of his head. “Just nerves, I guess. Never had a fella before. Certainly never had to tell anyone about it.” Tony laughs, and to Steve he’s never looked more beautiful than in this moment.

“So I’m your ‘fella?’ Ok then.” Tony takes his hand and starts to lead him back to the dining room. “We don’t have to tell them if you don’t want to.”

“I think they’ve already figured it out.” Steve chuckles.

* * *

 

The third day, Steve wakes up to a message from Natasha.

**> Did you tell him? **

**> Yeah**

**> How’d he take it?**

Steve’s glad this isn’t a video message. He imagines she’d be able to see right through him. She’d stare deep into his soul and know what he’s done, or, more accurately, hasn’t done. She’d be no kinder to him than he deserves.

**> How do you think**

**> He seemed pretty happy last night**

**Are you two together?**

**> Yeah**

**> I think this could be good. For both of you. **

**Don’t hurt him**

Steve almost laughs at the last message. The entire reason he’s doing this is because he doesn’t want to hurt Tony

 

* * *

 

Now, Steve’s watching Tony’s breathing, his face illuminated by the soft glow of the arc reactor. His brows are furrowed in distress. He’s having a nightmare. Steve wonders if it’s about his parents. 

Steve gets out of his bed and goes to the dresser. He stares at himself in the mirror. He wonders how he’s supposed to tell Tony the truth.

“Please don’t be angry Tony,” he explains, “I meant to tell you, I just didn’t want to hurt you. Bucky, he- he didn’t know what he was doing and HYDRA did things to him.” Steve closes his eyes.

Bucky. Right, because this entire thing is about protecting Tony and Bucky. Keeping the things he cares about safe.

Now if only Steve could get himself to believe it.

Steve opens his eyes to see Tony standing behind him in the mirror.

“It’s ok,” Tony says and Steve wants to laugh because Tony doesn’t even know how not ok it is. Steve should just tell him, but he can see the hurt in Tony’s eyes, the betrayal of trust. He stays silent.

“I understand. You have to leave. You have to go find Bucky. Just know, you have someplace to come back to now. I’ll be here, waiting for you, ok? I promise.” Tony smiles, and kisses Steve gently, more gently than he probably deserves. Tony deserves someone brave enough to tell him the truth.

“Is it alright if we go back to bed? Can you stay a little while longer before you have to leave?” Tony asks.

Steve nods and lets Tony lead him back to bed.

**Author's Note:**

> This relay is part of a chain; you can find the full [masterlist](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Cap_Ironman_Relay_Remix_2018/profile) on the Collection profile page.


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